Matthew 6:19-24
The teaching of Jesus about possessions and money is a radical attempt to unmask greed and confront the love of money. The arguments of Jesus will demolish all attempts to rationalize greed and religiously-glamorized love of money under the guise of missions and ministry. These radical reflections of our Lord leave no space for neutral ground. It hounds us to make a choice either to serve God or money! The more we pretend we don’t have the issue of greed, the more we make it obvious that we are indeed greedy! As I study and reflect about the issue of God and money, I find more verses in Holy Scripture warning us in times of prosperity rather than in times of poverty. If you find a person who walks in godly contentment, by all means, set an appointment with him and humbly learn!
There are three areas where greed finds its roots and the pattern of its growth leads to the pathway of sure destruction: These fertile grounds where greed grows are desires, decisions, and destiny.
Desires
Our desires are fought on two battlefronts. It is crucial to win this battle from within so we can withstand the pressure from without. Heed the instruction of Jesus...“Don’t store up treasures here on earth” Matthew 6:19)
* Insatiable desire to have more (darkness within)
* Irresistible demand to get more (darkness without)
Desire is a built-in gift from God; legitimate desires are Divine guides so we will seek God. When these powerful forces are not surrendered to God, they become a darkness within that unleashes the monster of greed. It is of utmost importance that our hearts be transformed and continually nourished by God’s word and prayer so our desires are holy and God-honoring. If God is your core desire then God will be your pursuit, if money is your core desire then that too will define everything in your life. God stirs our hearts first so we can respond by faith and desire God more than anything and anyone else. “But people who long to be rich fall into temptation and are trapped by many foolish and harmful desires that plunge them into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. And some people, craving money, have wandered from the true faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows.” (1st Timothy 6:6-10) Locate where your heart is and you will find where your life is going. Jesus warns the people of His time not to desire earthly treasure, know the value of what is temporal and what is eternal. Be familiar with the eternal value and pursuit of life here on earth seeing through the perspective of the Kingdom of God.